CHAPTER VIII
THE FIRST NIGHT OUT
The boys knew the shores of Lake Cameron well, having camped there before, and they selected a spot that just suited their wants. The rowboat was drawn up in a tiny cove and made fast, and then all hands set to work getting the tent and some of the outfit ashore. The things left in the boat were covered carefully with the tarpaulin, to keep off the night dampness and a possible rain.
Shep had been selected as the leader during this outing, on account of what his father had done for the club, and he now directed Giant and Whopper to build the fire and get supper ready, while he and Snap erected the tent and cut some pine boughs for bedding.
"It will be almost warm enough to-night to sleep out of doors," said the doctor's son. "But it seems more natural to sleep under some kind of a cover."
He and Snap took the ax and soon cut down three slender saplings and trimmed them. Two were planted in the ground where the tent was to be erected and the third was laid across the top, in little limb-crotches left for that purpose. Then the canvas was thrown over and pegged down tightly, sides and back. The front of the tent had a double flap, which could be tied shut with strings if desired.
Long before the tent was up and furnished with bedding of pine boughs, Giant and Whopper had the camp fire started, and soon an appetizing odor of coffee and frying fish filled the air. It was now quite dark, and the glare of the fire made the scene a pleasant one.
"Camping wouldn't be camping without a fire," observed Snap, as, having finished his share of the work, he sat down on a grassy hillock to rest and watch Giant and Whopper getting ready to serve the evening meal.
"Right you are, Snap," answered Shep. "Even in the hottest of weather I love to see the glare and the flickering shadows."
"I always think of good stories and plenty to eat when I see a camp fire," came from Giant.
"Well, I reckon we are going to have the eating, even if we don't have the stories," said the doctor's son.
"What's the matter with Whopper spinning one of his outrageous yarns?" suggested Snap. "He must be fairly aching to tell something marvelous."
"I tell only truthful tales," came from the storyteller modestly. "Now, if you want to hear——-"
"Truthful tales!" burst out Giant. "Say, Whopper, that's the very biggest whopper you ever told!"
"All right, then, I won't tell any stories," returned the other lad reproachfully.
"Oh, yes, you will; you can't help it," said Snap.
Supper was soon served. It consisted of bread and butter and coffee and pickerel done to a turn, topped off with some crullers from a bagful donated by Mrs. Caslette. The boys took their time eating, and when they had finished the bones of the fish were picked clean. Then Giant said something about a train falling off a bridge, and that started Whopper to telling a most marvelous story of an engineer who, seeing that a bridge was down, put on all speed and rushed his train over a gap thirty feet wide in safety. The others listened with sober faces until Whopper had finished, and then burst out laughing.
"What did I tell you?" cried Snap. "I said Whopper couldn't help telling a yarn."
"And such a one, too!" added Giant.
"And of course we all believe it," came from the doctor's son.
"Well, I had to do something—-to help pass the time," said Whopper a bit sheepishly.
"Sure you did," said Snap heartily. "It's all right, Whopper—-only don't ask us to believe such a story."
"Is anybody going to stand guard to-night?" asked Giant to change the subject.
"What's the use?" questioned Snap. "I don't think anybody or anything will come to disturb us."
"Well, you can never tell," said Shep slowly. "But if you fellows don't care to stand guard we'll let it go at that."
"Oh, it's for you to say, Shep—-you are leader this trip."
"Well, I guess we can all turn in."
And turn in they did about nine o'clock, with the understanding that they were to have breakfast at six in the morning and continue their journey as soon after that as possible.
Whether he felt the responsibility of leadership or not it would be hard to say, but certain it is that the doctor's son did not sleep near as soundly as did the others. He was very restless, and when he dozed off it was to dream of the lion that had escaped from the circus. He imagined that the animal had followed them to their camp and was bending over him and licking his face. He uttered a groan of terror and sat up and opened his eyes. As he did this a dark form leaped over him and out of the open tent. The fire had burned low, so what the form was Shep could not tell.
"Help!" screamed the doctor's son. He was not yet fully awake.
"Wha—-what's the matter?" spluttered Snap, throwing aside his blanket.
"What's wrong?" came from Whopper and Giant simultaneously.
"Something—-a wild animal—-in here—-jumped over me!" gasped
Shep. "It just went outside!"
"Oh, you are dreaming, Shep," said Snap.
"No, I'm not. I saw it—-felt it! Let me get my gun!"
The doctor's son threw off his blanket, leaped up and grasped his shotgun, that hung on one of the tent poles. He stepped to the opening of the tent and peered out anxiously.
"See anything?" demanded Whopper. He and the others were now up, and each was arming himself.
"N—-no."
"I told you you were dreaming," came from Snap.
"Too many crullers for supper," was Giant's comment. "Sometimes they lay like lead in a fellow's stomach and give him all sorts of dreams."
"It wasn't the crullers," persisted the doctor's son. "I'm going outside and investigate." And he stepped out in the direction of the camp fire.
"Be careful," warned Snap. "If any wild beasts are around you want to be on your guard."
The doctor's son looked around with care, but could see no trace of the night visitor. He stirred up the camp fire and soon had a bright blaze going. The others had followed him outside and they stood shivering in the damp air.
"False alarm, I guess," said Giant, yawning. "What time is it?"
"One o'clock," answered Whopper, after consulting his watch. "Say, this is a dandy way of breaking up one's rest," he added sarcastically.
"If you don't believe I saw something—-and felt something—-you needn't," returned Shep tartly.
"Must have been a sand flea, or a water bug."
"Come, Whopper, don't get mad," came from Snap. "If Shep——-"
"There it is, behind the bushes!" burst out the doctor's son. "I just saw its eyes shining!"
As he spoke he raised his shotgun. But the eyes had disappeared.
"I saw something," came from Giant. "See, it's moving—-back of the huckleberry bush."
Something was moving, that was evident, but what it was none of the young hunters could make out. Shep raised his gun again.
"Shall I take a chance and fire?" he asked of the others.
"Might as well," answered Whopper. "It couldn't be anything but a wild animal."
"Wait," cried Snap. He raised his voice. "Who is there?" he called out. "Answer, or we'll shoot!"
For reply there came a sound that thoroughly astonished the boys. It was the bark of a dog, low and uncertain. Then there stepped into view a collie, wagging his tail doubtfully.
"A dog!" cried Giant. "Come here! come here!" he called, and gave an inviting whistle.
Slowly the dog came forward, still wagging his tail doubtfully. When he was quite close he sat up on his haunches and began to move his fore paws up and down.
"He's begging!" cried Snap. "He must be hungry."
"I suppose he smelled our food and came for some," said Giant. "Good little dog!" he cried. "Come here!" And as he snapped his fingers the collie came up to him and allowed the small youth to pat him on the head.
"That's your wild beast, Shep," said Whopper.
"Well, I knew it was something," answered the doctor's son. "That dog must have been in the tent."
"More than likely," answered Snap. "See how friendly he is," he added, for the collie was now leaping from one to another of the boys and barking joyfully. Giant gave him a cruller and he ate the dainty greedily.
"He's half starved," said Snap. "Must have wandered off into the woods and got lost."
"Is there a name on his collar?" asked Whopper.
"No, only a license number," answered Giant after an examination.
"Looks to me as if he might be a valuable animal."
"I think I've seen that collie before," said Shep.
"So you did—-in the tent," said Whopper quickly, and set up a laugh.
"Oh, you know what I mean. He has a regular star on his breast.
Yes, I am sure I've seen him somewhere, but where I can't remember."
"He ought to be returned to his owner," said Snap. "But how we are going to do it I don't know. I don't care to go back just for the dog."
"Nor I," added Giant. "Let us take him along and bring him back with us when we come."
"If he'll stay with us," came from Whopper. "He may—-if we feed him well," answered the doctor's son.
They let the dog have another cruller and the heads of the fish, and the animal made a meal of them. The boys felt cold and tired and crawled back into the tent to finish their night's rest. Soon the collie came nosing at the opening.
"Come here!" said Giant in a low voice, and instantly the dog nestled down at his side, and there he remained until daylight.
"We can take him in some of our pictures," said the small youth.
"He'll add to the picturesqueness."
"What are you going to call him?" asked Whopper.
"Sphinx."
"And why Sphinx?" asked Snap.
"Because he won't tell us who he is, where he came from, or anything about himself."
"Oh, that's not a pretty name," cried the doctor's son. "I vote we call him Wags, because he wags his tail so much."
"All right, Wags it is," said Giant. "What do you say, Wags?" he added, turning to the dog.
The collie barked and wagged his tail vigorously. Evidently he was perfectly satisfied.
As the lads had no more game or fish to eat, they made a hasty meal of bacon, bread, crullers and coffee. As soon as the repast was over they took down the tent and placed that and the other things on board the rowboat. The collie had been fed and was more frisky than ever.
"Wonder if he'll go into the boat with us?" said Snap. "Some dogs don't like the water."
"Most collies do," answered Giant. "I'll try him." He called Wags, and the dog leaped into the craft and took his place at the bow.
"He'll do for a lookout," said Whopper. "Come on, it's time to start."
They looked around the temporary camp, to make certain that nothing had been left behind, then entered the rowboat and shoved off. Snap and Whopper took the oars, and soon they were on the journey up Lake Cameron to Firefly Lake.
"Don't forget one thing," said Snap shortly after starting. "If possible we want to bring down some sort of game for dinner. It won't do to use up our canned things and that stuff."
"Everybody watch out," said Giant. "And if we can't shoot something, why, toward dinner time, I'll try my hand at fishing again."